Page:Select Popular Tales from the German of Musaeus.djvu/134

120 expired. From that time the murderous stepmother heard no more of her daughter; and although she often sent spies, they brought her back no other message than that the maiden had not again awoke from her death-slumber.

Thus was the beautiful Blanche, by the artifices of this hateful woman, three times dead and three times buried. After the faithful dwarfs had buried her the first time, and masses had been performed, they, with the weeping servants, kept constant watch by the grave, and often looked through the window into the coffin, to enjoy the sight of their beloved mistress, till corruption should destroy her form. But, with wonder, they perceived, that after a few days, her white cheeks were tinted with a faint blush, the purple of life again began to glow on her faded lips, and soon the maiden opened her eyes. When the watchful servants observed this, they joyfully took the lid off the coffin; the lovely Richilda sat up, and wondered to see herself in a grave, and her attendants in mourning around her. She quickly left this horrible place, and returned, like Eurydice, from the realm of shades, with tottering knees, to the reviving light of day. Instead of the poison, which he ought to have put into the pomegranate, Sambul had only tinged the half with a narcotic essence, which deprived of sensation, without destroying the body. The second time he did the same with the soap-ball, only that he increased the portion of opium, so that the maiden did not awake at the same time as before, and the dwarfs fancied that she was really dead; but after watching for some days with great anxiety, she, to the joy of all her faithful attendants, again awoke.

The maiden’s guardian angel saw the danger which menaced the life of her ward, as the fear of death might make the physician resolve really to accomplish the knavish trick of poisoning her. Therefore, he slipped invisibly into the prison, and began a powerful contest in the Jew’s soul, conquered him, after a severe strife, and extorted from him the resolution to devote his neck to his conscience, as he had formerly done his beard and both ears. By means of his chemical knowledge, he concentrated his sleepy liquor into a volatile salt, which was dissolved in the open air, and spread abroad; with this he strewed the letter to the beautiful Blanche, and as she read it the atmosphere received a stunning property, and she inhaled the refined spirit of poppies. The effect of it was so powerful, that the torpidity of the body lasted longer than before, and the impatient duenna, quite despairing of the reanimation of her young mistress, insisted on having the requiem performed.

Whilst the attendants were occupied with this mournful solemnity, a young pilgrim approached, went into the chapel, knelt before the altar at matins, and performed his devotions. He was called Godfrey of Ardennes, who, in performance of a vow, visited many holy places and churches, and was now on his way through